Ureteral Stenting
Ureteral stenting can be useful in patients with ureteral obstruction due to ureterolithiasis, ureteral or trigonal obstructive neoplasia, post-ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), retrograde ureteral stone retrieval (basket retrieval or laser lithotripsy), intraoperatively across a ureteral anastomosis, ureteral tears, ureteral spasm, or ureteritis. Ureteral stents have been placed in veterinary patients endoscopically in a retrograde fashion, percutaneously in an antegrade fashion, and manually during open laparotomy.21 The retrograde endoscopic technique is currently under investigation for use in veterinary patients with ureterolith-induced obstructions, particularly in cats (Figure 8).
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| Figure 8: Retrograde ureteral stent placement for multiple ureteroliths in a 4 yr. FS cat. (A and C) Lateral and ventrodorsal radiographs demonstrating bilateral ureteroliths with large obstructive ureterolith (red arrow) in right proximal ureter. (B and D) Lateral and ventrodorsal radiograph post-stent (black arrows) placement spanning right renal pelvis (yellow arrow) to urinary bladder (yellow arrow) and bypassing obstructive ureteroliths. Note: The large stones on the left side were not considered obstructive via ultrasonography. |